Author Topic: Dillon Reloading Press questions (Read 971 times)

Pecos Clyde · « **on:** January 20, 2003, 03:24:05 PM »

Hey ya'll

I had the money out and was ready to buy today, but I decided that I needed more information. Hoping someone out there can help. I have reloaded shotgun before with a MEC 650 (alot). I also reloaded .38's 3 decades ago with one of those Lee hand loading kits with the powder scoop thing. I have never reloaded centerfire rifle or pistol other than the lee product.

I was ready to buy the Dillon 650 to reload .45 colt, and 38-55. I happen to have a nice amount of money to deal with due to good fortune. I didn't buy the 650 today because I really have no clue as to what other accessories I need, or should have. Do I need:

1. brass tumbler
2. powder scale
3. the auto case feeder
4. the low powder alarm
5. or anything else?

I know this sounds pretty dumb on my part but I really don't know this stuff. Thanks in advance for anyone willing to give me some advice.

DB Leath · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2003, 05:23:55 PM »

Hey Pecos,
I guess I can return the favor for you guys. I may not have been shooting CAS for long but I have been reloading for at least 10 years.
The Dillion stuff is great. I have an old 450 which doesnt have the ability to take the dies out in a holder. I like mine alot. I dont think you necessarly need the case feeder though. I dont know how much you will be reloading but at first you really need to be paying attention to whats going on and the case feeder just adds another thing to keep up with. I dont have one and dont think Ill get one. The great thing about dillion stuff is you can always add it on later. My powder measure doesnt drop automaticly either but as I understand you can get the attachment to make it do so. Once again thats something to keep up with and deciding what to get depends on how much you will be loading. If I were going to be just loading a few hundred at a time I would save the money and get one that manually dumps the powder .
You will need a case tumbler and tumbling media and a way to seperate it when you are done. Midway has some really good deals on that stuff as a kit. You get all of them at a good price. Thats where I would get one of those from. The better tumblers are a little more quiet if thats a issue with the wife. Mine is in the garage so noise isnt a big issue.
You will need a way to weigh powder charges from your powder measure. I have a digital one and thats the way I would go if I were you. I have a pact one that I like alot. It sure saves alot of time over an old balance beam type scale. Once again you can get one of those from Midway.
One thing that you didnt mention that you will need is a way of trimming cases. They do stretch over time and will require trimming them. I have two different ones, a Forester and one from Lee. I like both ones but my next one will be powered as to save time.
You will also need a caliper to measure the cases for trimming and for setting the overall cartrige(sp) length. I saw a good one on sale at Harbor Freight the other day so look there too.
I hope I havent confused things too much. Give me a shout and I can help you some more if you like. I could go on awhile but Ill let some of the others add thier two cents.
Good luck I happen to enjoy reloading alot its sort of a way for me to get some quiet time.
Holler if you need more help
DBLeath

Jose Grande · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2003, 06:01:23 PM »

The 650 is a real good press that has auto-indexing.However you might want to start out on a single stage like a RCBS Rockchucker. It's slow,but you will load a very consistent round of ammunition with it. Kits are availeable with balance-beam scales that are very accurate.
There is a lot going on with a progressive set-up & I don't want for you to miss something & have a problem. (problem in this context means seeing an exploded view of your gun)
I load 10 cal. on my RC & on .45s my standard deviation is less than 15fps.I have never used a tumbler in over 20 yrs. of reloading. So the cases are discolored;so what?? It don't hurt anything. Just be sure there's no grit or dirt on the cases. Get carbide dies for straight wall cases.Then you don't have to lube them.
You should get at least 3 reloading manuals; Lyman#47 Speer,& another of whatever brand you think you may use;either bullets or powder. I have 2 Accurates to go with the first two named. Lee makes a good manual. I too am willing to answer questions so feel free to ask here or by e-mail. Jose' Grande :-)

Pecos Clyde · « **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2003, 06:24:07 PM »

Caleath and Josegrande

Thank you both for your comments. At the store they had all those wizz-bang accessories, there was red boxes, an blue boxes and green ones too. I think I went into my sensory overload mode. You have both helped me to get a better feel for what I need. I will let you know what I get in the next couple of days.

Then I will be askin for info on 200 gr .45 colt loads.

thanks again

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2003, 04:59:45 AM »

As the others said, hold off on the auto casd feeder. The Dillon is so consistant that my balance beam scale does fine. The low powder sensor is a good idea.
Like you I had not reloaded for a great number of years but I went straight into a Dillon with no trouble. Been reloading steady for about 18 years now. Shooting USPSA for around 20 and just now getting into CAS.

So, unless you have gobs of extra money get the Dillon rather than the single stage press and then have to buy the Dillon later.
Just take your time--one thing the powder screw on the Dillon seems backwards. If you screw it in (to the right) it will actually drop more powder and to the left will decrease the charge--this is a function of how the powder measure is set up.

Old Cane · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2003, 11:50:31 AM »

Nice to see another 450 user from time to time, caleath.

Cheyenne Ranger · « **Reply #6 on:** January 21, 2003, 12:08:14 PM »

To give you an idea about progressives: I just loaded 50 rounds of .45LC. Did ten each at 5.2, 5.4, 5.6, 5.8 and 6.0 grains of powder. I had to reset the powder measure for each of these and check the weights. From start to finish, and I'm talking walking out the door to the garage to back, the actual reloading, emptying the primer tube and powder measure and back in with the primer tube refilled was 50 minutes. All done on a Sq Deal B. When I don't have to mess around working up a reload I can turn out about 400 per hour start to finish.

Not saying anything bad about single stages but, FOR ME :grin: , this is the way to crank out bullets. If you check Capt Baylor's reloading page, he also suggests the progressive presses: http://www.curtrich.com/reloading.html

Old Cane · « **Reply #7 on:** January 21, 2003, 02:50:11 PM »

I used the hand loader too and went to the Dillon. I still think I could put a single stage to use from time to time but after loading on a single for a short time I think you would be wanting a progressive. That might be a really good way to go. You may never want a progressive but if you do, you'll have a single stage for more precise work or black powder. Since you already have some reloading experience you should do fine with a progressive if you decide to go that way first.

To answer what accessories you need, I'd say yes, get them all. The low powder sensor? I don't know about that one. I think I can see through clear plastic ok. But with a 650 you have an extra station so you can use one of the powder check dies (powder in the case). You can add the case feed later if you want to go faster. You can STILL get a squib load though. A friend of mine has done it. Just be careful with any reloading.

Pecos Clyde · « **Reply #8 on:** February 07, 2003, 12:42:23 PM »

Heyya Ya'll

Just ordered my dillon 650 over the phone. Bout 2 weeks for delivery....outta stock for now. I added the power case feeder, powder check die, the .45 colt dillon dies and the accessory stand thing, a primer flip tray, and two large and two small primer tubes. When I visited the Dillon booth at Winter Range they gave me a code for 10% off, so I can as my bride puts it, "squander" that money on components

too cool.

Now comes the hard part. I have been shooting Ten X brand ammunition. .45 colt with 200 grain bullet. I want to approximate that load as near as possible. Does anyone have information on that load? If not I will call 10 X and ask the owner. (Kinda like the shotgun load I wanted to work up based on the winchester aa's light target load....Marshal Graybeard supplied me with info for that)

The other thing I noticed was when I weighed empty cases they varied two to five tenths of a grain. Likely it doesnt matter, but would case weight matter if you were attempting to reload for precision/long range rifle?

Old Cane · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2003, 01:52:24 AM »

The cases may have different weights because of different wall thicknesses. Less/more room in the case will make a difference in pressure. For precision work it could make a difference in hits. Since my life is about miles, not inches, none of my work is precise. It wouldn't matter to me but if that's what you're after, I'd seperate them by weight once they are all trimmed to the same length. Find out for yourself if it makes a difference and buy, big lots, seperate, then trade off any that don't conform to the optimun weight for your rifle and buy another lot.